


Just That Simple

by songofdefiance



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Post-Episode: 2015 Xmas The Husbands of River Song, Set During Series 11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 13:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16347911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/songofdefiance/pseuds/songofdefiance
Summary: Her mind is lazily searching through the events of this past Christmas, wondering once again how she hadn’t realized that the man next to her is the Doctor.  And if he hadn’t been... well.  River’s fallen in love with someone other than the Doctor only once before, and she’s never seen her again.Her head bolts upright from the Doctor, and she stares at the bookcase across from them, the thought hitting her like a freight train.  It can’t be that simple, can it?





	Just That Simple

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fluffy little piece, me trying out their dynamic a bit. Enjoy!

The nice thing about living on Darillium, if River is being honest, is the lack of paperwork.

Oh, certainly, she loves teaching, loves being at the front of the room, capturing everyone’s attention and challenging her students to actually  _ want  _ the knowledge she’s giving them.  But the papers - the papers are tedious, and she, thankfully, hasn’t seen a single one since she and the Doctor came here.

Instead, she’s dozing off with her head on the Doctor’s shoulder, her legs tucked beneath her.  They’re on the sofa in the little house they’ve bought for themselves (who would’ve thought?), each nursing a book and a cup of tea.  Well, she  _ was  _ nursing a book.  It’s now sitting, closed, on the end table, next to her tea.

Her mind is lazily searching through the events of this past Christmas.  She’s wondering once again how she hadn’t realized that the man next to her is the Doctor.  And if he hadn’t been... well. River’s fallen in love with someone other than the Doctor only once before, and she’s never seen her again.

Her head bolts upright from the Doctor, and she stares at the bookcase across from them, the thought hitting her like a freight train.  It can’t be that simple, can it?

“What?” the Doctor asks, glancing up from his book with a frown.  “I know that look. That’s the ‘I forgot the local authorities on this planet are after me’ look.”

River waves away his concern.  “Nothing like that this time, sweetie,” she promises.  “I just need to pop out and use the TARDIS for a moment.”

“River - “ the Doctor says.

She gives him a swift kiss on the cheek.  “I’ll be right back,” she says. “I just need to check something.  Left a paper I was working on in my office, and I need to make sure it’s locked.  I wouldn’t put stealing it for himself past Henderson.”

“Henderson?” the Doctor asks.  “Isn’t that the chap with the toupei?”

“Yes.”  She’s already heading out the door.  “Five minutes.”

“Five minutes!” he calls after her.  “And if you’re late, don’t think I won’t steal your vortex manipulator -”

River snorts as the door closes behind her, cutting off his voice.  He says it like he’s never stolen it before.

If she has to describe the TARDIS’ mood, she would almost say that she seems...  _ eager _ .  She barely has to pull one lever before the TARDIS is hurtling through the vortex, and the next thing she knows they’re landing with a slightly louder-than-usual thud.  She hurries over to the doors, which open out to the Sky Markets of Zestoria III. The stalls are all held in a levitation field, which also supports all of the foot traffic that goes through the market.  The idea is that the customers are able to shop while walking on air, though non-native species often have to have pressure stabilizers implanted in their skin, first.

River has been here exactly one time, nearly 80 years ago for her.  To the people here, she’s just left after causing a ruckus by uncovering and dismantling an illegal underground slave trade operation.  The woman she met at the time had been eager to help and fiercely protective of the other women being held captive; when she’d proposed to River after the ordeal was over, River had barely taken two seconds to say yes.

She checks the time on the massive chronometer that’s in the center of the market.  It’s only a few minutes after she left the first time, which means - 

“Joan!” she calls.

The blond woman doesn’t react at first, and River’s suspicion grows, but after she calls her name a second time she turns her head, eyes lighting up at the sight of her.  River feels a twinge at the sight. There were times, after this particular adventure, when she would think of Joan, and wonder what became of her, and feel a strange ache in her chest.  The kind of ache that she usually only feels when she misses her husband.

“River!” the woman exclaims, hurrying over and stopping abruptly short of her.  “I thought - um - “

“Joan,” River interrupts.  “What did you say your last name was?”

Joan reddens.  “I, um, didn’t.  But it’s Smith, if you must know.”

River sighs.  “Dead giveaway, that,” she says, giving her a gentle smile.  “Hello, sweetie.”

The Doctor’s eyes, which are now somewhere between green and brown, soften, and her smile turns almost bashful.  “That obvious, am I?”

“Not before,” River admits, taking a step closer.  “I have to admire your restraint in not using your sonic, though.”

The Doctor pulls it out of her pocket with a grin.  “Tempting as it was.”

River inspects it, raising both eyebrows at the design.  “Is that homemade, darling?”

“Yep!”  The Doctor tucks it back into her pocket (and really, River should’ve realized who she was, considering the outfit she was wearing).  “Wanna know the secret ingredient?” She leans forward and whispers, “Spoons.”

River laughs.  Unable to resist for a moment longer, she steps forward and presses her lips to the Doctor’s.  The Doctor responds eagerly, both lacking the shyness of her eleventh regeneration and the restraint of her twelfth.  

Once they’ve pulled away, the Doctor says, “This is a lot later for you, isn’t it?  You’re not surprised to see me, so... Darillium? Ooooh, that night when you freaked out and had to use the TARDIS?  ‘Back in five minutes’, ha! Not if I’ve got anything to say about it, we still haven’t had a proper date yet.”

River raises both eyebrows.  “A proper date? You want to go on a proper date?”

“Well, yeah.”  The Doctor shuffles her feet.  “I mean - I know we’ve sort of done that before, but they always get crashed by someone who wants to take over the universe.  Not counting Darillium, by the way, that’s pretty much the only other proper date we’ve had. If proper dates are allowed to be 24 years long.”

River laughs again, then offers her arm.  “I would love to go on a ‘proper date’ with you, sweetie.”

The Doctor blinks a few times, likely nonplussed that she’s not the one doing the arm-offering, for once.  It isn’t long before she wraps her hand around River’s elbow, though, pressing into her side almost immediately.  

They’re about halfway down the block when the Doctor says, “Hang on - River, are you taller than me now?”

“Yes, dear.”

“I  _ knew  _ my legs used to be longer!”

River pats her hand.


End file.
